Entertainment Weekly gives the Season 1 boxed set an A:
Okay, we all know this ABC drama rules, so let's just go straight to the EXTRAS. The bonus features are as insanely comprehensive as the show is confusing. Not only do cast and crew contribute five commentary tracks (creator J.J. Abrams explains that Matthew Fox's No. 5 tattoo will become ''a crucial defining character point'' for Jack going forward), but they actually stop the pilot episode occasionally to show behind-the-scenes footage, like a four-ton chunk of flaming airplane engine accidentally falling near actor Dominic Monaghan.
An hour-long series of docs — including a fascinating one on how they bought a plane, destroyed it, and shipped it over to Hawaii — covers nearly every aspect of filming the pilot, while a separate doc goes through the entire season. Locke (Terry O'Quinn) teaches Walt (Malcolm David Kelley) how to spot a liar in one of 13 deleted scenes, and Sayid (Naveen Andrews) goes tie shopping in one of two previously unseen flashbacks. And we could tell you where to find secret audio transmissions from Danielle, as well as an alternate title sequence, but c'mon — what fun would that be?
My DVD set arrived! I've just mainlined the bonus disc, which has oodles of fun stuff. Highlights;
- The filming of the OMGWTF POLAR BEAR scene and Oh GOD the hilarious wrongness of the flying bear puppet (!)
- The casting process and the audition tapes on nearly everybody, which ROCKED. Matthew Fox in particular made a mesmerizing Sawyer.
- MF's photo album set to the tinkly music from Charlie's not!death scene; amateurish but weirdly affecting photographs with MF providing the narration. Fox has a lovely voice, which I hadn't noticed before.
- The deleted flashbacks from "Exodus": I loved the one with Claire with
Pilot Weiss.
I wish they had the time to include that in the episode.
Matthew Fox in particular made a mesmerizing Sawyer.
Huh. I'm trying to picture that, and I can't.
It was as the character was first conceived--a slick con man in smart suits from Buffalo. Fox acted a long ranty monologue, and he had these crazy intense eyes and he was menacing, dude.
I am very jealous of Vonnie. My dvds shipped on Friday, but haven't made it to me yet.
Are the extras clustered on one disc, so one might be able to Netflix the goodies?
Disc 7 is all about the extras.
Excellent. I am enqueued.
A fun (and short) interview with Dom:
Q: Do you read what they say online? A: I check out all these scandalous rumors about me and Elijah Wood having beautiful sex with each other.
Q: Are they true? A: About Elijah and me being boyfriend and boyfriend? Absolutely true. We've been together for about nine years. I wooed him. No, I just like a lot of stuff—I like that someone says one thing and it becomes fact. It's kind of fun.
